This invention is directed to a manually operable ejector mechanism for removing an edge connected printed circuit board (PCB) from a connector mounted within an enclosure.
Electrical connection is commonly made with PCB's by means of a connector jack which receives and engages metal runners projecting on an extended portion of the PCB. This connector normally includes a plurality of conductive spring-loaded contacts that engage each of the PCB conductors. The compression force applied to the PCB by the connector contacts provides resistance to slidably removing the PCB from the connector.
Enclosures are commonly designed to receive a plurality of edge mounted PCB's. Each PCB typically has a front panel assembly mounted thereto. A plurality of PCB's may be grouped together and mounted to a single panel. The front panels are normally disposed relative to the enclosure in the operational (engaged) position such that it is difficult to directly grasp the panel and remove the attached PCB's.
This problem can of course be addressed by mounting a conventional fixed handle to the front panel. However, this is not desirable in all installations. It is also known to provide a pivotally mounted lever to the PCB assembly where one end of a substantially straight lever can engage a fixed element of the enclosure to provide a mechanical advantage to urge the PCB assembly from the connector. This mechanism provides relatively satisfactory results when utilized with a single PCB with a front panel. The use of two or more PCB's mounted to a single front panel often renders such a lever having a single fulcrum ineffective. The single force application point provided by such a lever, especially in a multiple PCB assembly, often does not supply an optimal removal force.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved ejector mechanism especially suited for removal of multiple PCB assemblies.